I have been awake since 5:45AM. Someone left the sunroof
open in my car and it rained. There is a pimple the size of Manassas on my lip. The
baby is congested and teething. It feels impossible to get anything cleaned or
organized with a full time job and small children. Our refrigerator is very
small. Daycare costs more than a mortgage in a normal town. I waste too much
money on Starbucks. I am having a bad hair day.

Or

Our new home has a playroom. It takes 14 minutes to get to
my office from my driveway. I am paid to
make Cibu hair products. People love Fresh Crunch pickles. It is nearly summertime. The bruises on my triceps are from extended side crow. I’ve
been blessed with beautiful children, a very cute dog and an excellent cook for
a husband. Everything is funny. The peonies are blooming. Life is full of creative opportunity.

Which of version of my story is more interesting? Which version
of your story do you tell each day?

Today’s outfit is so much more put together than warranted
for my level of fatigue. Why? Because last night I said eff it, let the baby cry
a little in her crib and ruthlessly edited my summer capsule down to 33 items,
exactly. More on that story later.

I work in retail. Just like the yogini in Lululemon with her story about Hustle pants or my new BF, the J.Crew dude who told me that my outfit was cute. Every hour of my work day is focused on better ways to sell Cibu. Are we one
in the same? Me peddling pomade and them with their seasonal variations on
things I already own?

There is a difference. For starters, hair products don’t sit
in your closet for years. HALT! If you still own products that you purchased (or
I gave you) before 2012 throw them away now. Seriously, they are expired and
you don’t even like them because if you did you would have used them all up
about - eh - 32 months ago.

You do not need dozens of hair products. You need a relationship with your Stylist so she can craft a haircut appropriate for
your lifestyle and teach you how to use the right products to achieve that look
at home. What do I mean about lifestyle?
Well, how much time do you have? No seriously, how much time do you have to do
your hair in the morning? How much time do you have to get your color retouched? Great hair is achieved by managing expectations. You are not Kim Kardashian. Do not go Fashion Week Platinum if you can only get to the salon once a season.

Because I love you, dear reader, I am going to let you in on the secret to great hair, in 5 steps:

Any questions? For real. I can answer any question you have
about hair.

Much like an essential hair care routine, my essential
outfit is usually compromised by 5 parts: Base layer (dress; pants or skirt and
shirt); Top layer (Jacket, blazer or cardigan); Great shoes; Jewelry; Hermes scarf
variation. Here are examples from the past two days.